Dx Revision Watch
Suzy Chapman Owner of Dx Revision Watch
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ME Association
Tony Britton
August 13, 2010 at 2:07pm
Subject: Manipulation of voting activity on MEA website poll
On Thursday 12 August we became aware of some very unusual voting activity on the MEA website poll - which is asking about the top priority issue for the new APPG on ME.
We then became aware of a campaign to influence the vote. This was being promoted on two overseas website discussion forums. So a significant number of these votes (over 300 in the space of 24 hours) were probably being cast from outside the UK, and this pattern will probably now continue. And people have also tried to vote for the same answer on more than one occasion.
We appreciate that some people feel very strongly about XMRV. However, others feel that there are more important issues which the APPG ought to be dealing with right now (eg problems with ICB and ESA benefit refusals).
The purpose of this poll was to try and obtain the views of a genuinely representative selection of public opinion from people in the UK who have ME/CFS.
But the poll is now the subject of a small but very effective campaign on one single issue - so the final outcome is unlikely be an accurate representation of UK public opinion.
We are going to continue to run the poll.
However, the APPG on ME will have to be made aware of this voting activity when the final figures are presented to them in September.
http://www.facebook.com/l/f3322WkoUxD3jEr9hQec8aUsAlA;www.meassociation.org.uk
Tony Britton
August 13, 2010 at 2:07pm
Subject: Manipulation of voting activity on MEA website poll
On Thursday 12 August we became aware of some very unusual voting activity on the MEA website poll - which is asking about the top priority issue for the new APPG on ME.
We then became aware of a campaign to influence the vote. This was being promoted on two overseas website discussion forums. So a significant number of these votes (over 300 in the space of 24 hours) were probably being cast from outside the UK, and this pattern will probably now continue. And people have also tried to vote for the same answer on more than one occasion.
We appreciate that some people feel very strongly about XMRV. However, others feel that there are more important issues which the APPG ought to be dealing with right now (eg problems with ICB and ESA benefit refusals).
The purpose of this poll was to try and obtain the views of a genuinely representative selection of public opinion from people in the UK who have ME/CFS.
But the poll is now the subject of a small but very effective campaign on one single issue - so the final outcome is unlikely be an accurate representation of UK public opinion.
We are going to continue to run the poll.
However, the APPG on ME will have to be made aware of this voting activity when the final figures are presented to them in September.
http://www.facebook.com/l/f3322WkoUxD3jEr9hQec8aUsAlA;www.meassociation.org.uk